Nigeria’s cinema records 19% monthly revenue drop to N378m in August 2022

By Chisom Nwatu

Revenue from tickets sold across cinemas in Nigeria declined by 19 percent to N378 million in August 2022 compared to N471 million generated in the previous month of July.

Year-on-year, however, the revenue generated from ticket sales in August 2022 rose by 28 percent when compared with N294 million realized in August 2021, analysis of data by the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria (CEAN) shows.

Ope Ajayi, CEAN’s national president, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday, said the 37 films shown in August realized over N378 million at the box office.

“13 Hollywood films accounted for 72.4 percent while 16 Nollywood films made a little over 22 percent. Also, the top five highest-grossing films in August were Thor: Love and Thunder, Bullet Train, Beast, Hey you! and League of Surpets,” Ajayi said.

“Thor: Love and Thunder remained the highest-grossing, with N80 million in the month, which brings its lifetime revenue at Nigeria’s box office to over N350 million, as of 31st August,” he said.

Ajayi said September 2022 features two main blockbusters – ‘The Woman King’ and ‘Brotherhood’ – which hold great potential.

“Both have the potential to make September 2022 the best since the inception of the Nigerian box office, with revenues projected to hit N700 million, despite the high rate of rainfall recorded in several cities, especially Lagos,” he said.

He further said September should be merrier, when “the legendary Viola Davies unleashes a brilliant performance in Sony’s new high paced epic drama/thriller, ‘The Woman King'”.

“So, if the green screen lovers think they saw action at its finest last month, then, wait for what is coming from the female warriors of ancient Dahomey,” Ajayi told NAN.

The films to be out in September, he said, include Where the Crawdads Sing, Passport, Symphony, Inside Life, Finding Ireti, The Woman King, Ticket of Life, Ticket of Paradise, Don’t Worry Darling.

Others are Brotherhood, Smile/Tad He Lost Explorere and The, See How They Run, Choke, The Enforcer, Anikulapo and Osorongo, he said.